José María Sicilia

José María Sicilia, born in 1954 in Madrid, is a renowned Spanish abstract painter celebrated for his exploration of light and nature in his work. He studied at the School of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid from 1975 to 1979. In 1980, he moved to Paris, where he began exhibiting his works, initially marked by an expressionist tendency. In 1985, he relocated to New York, where he became friends with composer John Cage, influencing his artistic approach.

Sicilia is known for his depictions of nature, including landscapes, insects, and flowers, utilizing innovative techniques such as incorporating wax into his lithographs. His work has been exhibited in prestigious institutions, including the Musée d'Art Contemporain in Bordeaux (2001), the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Caen (2000), and the Venice Biennale (1986). In 1989, he received the National Award for Plastic Arts from the Spanish Ministry of Culture. 

His works are part of renowned collections, such as the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Currently, he divides his time between Paris and Sóller, where he has established a foundation dedicated to young artists. In 2015, he was honored with the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts.